Read the script of the chancellor's speech setting out the case for linking northern England's cities together - and using a new high-speed rail link to do so, to boot - delivered in Manchester this morning

Depending on whom you ask, HS2 is a colossal waste of taxpayers’ cash, or a brilliant way to kick-start economic growth; an unnecessary half-measure to cut emissions or our best hope of the UK meeting our climate change targets. Few transport issues provoke quite such a strong response from the public.